Everglades Exploration Network

Tarpon Lake Day Hike Saturday June 1 hosted via Happy Hoofers-FTA

Where to meet:
We will meet at the Publix Super Market at Glade Crossing 2465 Glades Circle Weston, FL 33327 at exit 22 off of I-75 at 6:30 AM Saturday June 1St where we will carpool to the hike area. Please be forewarned that this will be a wet hike. Yes your feet will get wet. If you have an aversion to water this may not be the hike for you. You will also see an Eagle’s nest, bear tracks, and one of the nicest deep water lakes in the Big Cypress. Please see Esther's great pictures below for a sample of what to expect.

http://mapq.st/18f4SXG Map to Publix
 
Details:
Alligator Alley recreation area, 2.3 miles west of the Miccosukkee Service Plaza at Snake Road/Government Road/W State Road 84
  • Celebrate "National Trails Day" with this amazing 5 mile hike, that will take you through some beautiful areas of northern Big Cypress and end at beautiful, remote & lovely Tarpon Lake, which is rarely visited and unknown to most.

    Please note the 7:30am start time and plan to arrive by 7:15am! We'll have ankle deep water in some sections of this hike.

    This new(ish) recreation area is around mile marker 52 and about mid way across Alligator Alley. We normally meet at mile marker 63 rest area, so this is 11... miles closer to you :)

    Please come out for this exciting hike to show your support for TRAILS DAY and explore a seldom visited area within Big Cypress National Preserve.

    David Denham is leading this hike, along with several other awesome ACTIVITY LEADERS from the FTA. I plan to join as well, but will be breaking off a little early.

    Bring: 64 oz water, small backpack/day pack, snacks (maybe lunch), a hat, etc.

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I talked to my boss and it appears I will finally be working and living in these Addition Lands from late August until at least January, maybe until April so this may be a good opportunity for me to check it out.  I hope they supply me with an electric line.  My boss mentioned something about a generator and Im afraid they will just give me this noisy generator, some cans of gas and some water jugs and say good luck.  I told him whatever I am ready to work in paradise. Im ready to do what I can to help. Just secure permission from the NPS and Im good to go.

WOW sounds kind of wild!
Come out with us I want to see this Tarpon lake......

There is a building in this area a camp site that has AC, Water, etc.. Camp Last Resort..you might want to ask him if you can stay there. The last time I was there it looked like someone was working in the area.

What is it you do for a living sounds kind of wild?

 I work with FWC.  Who owns the Camp Last Resort?  Can I drive to it?

Ah it is a cool place...lots of respect for the FWC for sure. It a hard job, but your work is important.

 

They dont ask too much of me but one requirement is that I live on site. I prefer it that way. There is no way I could drive to work everyday. Actually its a long drive for FWC law enforcement from Naples and I am willing do anything I can to help them and I take my job seriously. I think my presence would act as a deterrent to would be wildlife violators and I hope funding will be available to keep me on site.

The Camp site looks good, and I think that area needs something to protect it. I think it has running water, AC, and it is very large. I know in the season Campers use this area to camp, and so do hikers so you would see visitors.

 I agree I think having someone in that area would help with wildlife violators.

For the record I drive 96 miles each day to sit at a desk, and meeting...the only thing that keeps me going is knowing I will return to any part of the Glades..even a walk near Sawgrass ..and these days it been four months from my last fishing trip...do to prep time requirements. This is why I started hiking so much.....anything to see the Glades...

Hey Dale I think the parks dept owns the Last Resort now but I'll confirm that with David tomorrow morning. Your description reminds me of when I used to work in SE Asia. We used to drop off guys on tiny islands to man temporary navigation towers. They would be stuck there for months in a tent with a generator, water, radio, and food. When we would pick them up they looked like they were shipwreck survivors.

No it wont be near that bad.  The Addition Lands is a new area so all the facilities are not yet in place. They may even allow me to stay at the new rest area.  He also said something about Nobles Road. Wherever I stay I need to be able to drive to it because I now have a small camper.  When I worked at Forty Mile Bend. I had an electric line, an A/C in my tent and an artesian well and shared a Jiffy John. I used a 12 volt battery to pump water to my tent shower and I heated it with propane.. I had all the comforts of home. The Indians kept the grass cut nice and neat. I organized all the rocks around the historic well to look good again. I even had Christmas lights on the holidays. I dont know if i can find a pic but I decorated the Jiffy John with Christmas lights as well lol and nobody complained.  Actually I had a few complaints but not about the john.

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More pics. 

 

Any pictures of Tarpon Lake?  How many hikers showed up?  My clutch on my truck went out so I missed a great opportunity to meet some nice people that are as crazy about the swamp as I am. I also missed an opportunity to get aquainted with this area.

 

Can anyone post a map of this new area?  

 

Amazing pictures of two very healthy looking bucks 101.  Panthers take a huge toll on large bucks (way more than hunters) because large bucks are loners. These guys are safer now in bachelor groups but they will not stay together in the coming rut in July. Thats when they will be crazy chasing women, fighting, showing their manhood and generally acting stupid. One careless mistake may cost them their lives. But the strongest buck will spread his genes and the smartest buck will live to fight another year. Thats natures way.

 

My observations and that of others reveal the does are living on open prairies in groups to remain vigilant against panther attacks.  More eyes, ears and noses the better.  The dead bucks I have found were on hammocks where they were apparently easily ambushed. Panthers love hammocks but can have problems on an open wet prairie..  Its interesting to note how an amazing species such as the whitetail deer will adapt to the increase of predators. I wonder if bucks will use the same tactic to survive?  

I have more photo but limited to 10 shots upload a day! I will try to upload more that area is very nice.

Map not sure they want to put them out infact the area is lock for now. I think the maps will go up once they mark the area. I hear there is a battle going on over motor off road type . There where lots of bear tracks, animal tracks, and the area looks very nice hope it stays that way. About 20 something hikiers showed up.

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